Glen Innes Severn Council will next week discuss the outcomes of its recent extensive community engagement program – concerning a new Community Strategic Plan (CSP), Delivery Program (DP), Operational Plan and Budget (OP) and the Revised Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP).
While all these documents are crucial, the community’s primary focus has been on the scenarios proposed for a Special Rate Variation (SRV).
Following valuable community feedback and a thorough review of submissions, further remodelling of the Revised LTFP 2025–2035 has been undertaken. The business paper for the June 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting, which is being released publicly today, recommends to Council an amended Sustainability scenario which incorporates an SRV of 48.3 per cent over three years.
Other proposed amendments to the Revised LTFP 2025-2034 include:
- Greater savings from improving organisational efficiency
- Acknowledging pensioners with an increase in the pensioner rebate of $50
- Retaining a commitment to towns and villages improvements
- Deferral of Town Hall master planning
- A reduction in depreciation following a technical review
The recommended scenario involves rate increases over three years, culminating in the 2028/29 fiscal year, with the target year for achieving financial sustainability now set for 2029/30 – one year later than previously anticipated. Additionally, waste charges have been reviewed, resulting in significantly scaled-back increases.
The phone survey, conducted as part of the community engagement program, indicated the original Sustainability scenario which had an increase of 55.49 per cent over two years: 41 per cent were not at all supportive, 22 per cent, not very supportive, 21 per cent, somewhat supportive and 16 per cent either supportive or very supportive. The revised Sustainability scenario being recommended to Council at 48.3 per cent, is 7.19 per cent less than the initially proposed scenario.
The business paper also incorporates a Capacity to Pay report which has been prepared as background information for Councillors. The report does not make commentary on specific SRV scenarios but provides an analysis of a wide range of socio-economic and other data, and evaluates the general financial capacity of ratepayers to pay the proposed rate changes.
General Manager, Bernard Smith said, “This recommendation to Council achieves the requirement of financial sustainability, reflects the concerns of the community, but still enables the region to grow and be a desirable and liveable community.”
“The community has told us that the maintenance of infrastructure and the delivery of services is important, and this proposal enables Council to meet that expectation. Council remains committed to ensuring that the region continues to thrive while addressing the needs and concerns of its residents,” Mr Smith said.
The June 2025 Ordinary Council meeting will commence at 9am on Thursday, 19 June and be held in the William Gardner Conference Room at the Glen Innes Severn Learning Centre. The business paper with attachments will be made available on the Council Meetings page.
Media Release: Glen Innes Severn Council
